


what's up pussycat

by amaelamin



Series: leohyuk14 [2]
Category: VIXX
Genre: Catboys & Catgirls, Crack, Idiots in Love, M/M, Romance, Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-08-07 10:01:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16406294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amaelamin/pseuds/amaelamin
Summary: second prompt in the leohyuk fortnight! this was a lot of fun to write.prompt: My cat steals underwear and i came home to find you chasing my cat to get your underwear back (neighbours au)





	what's up pussycat

****“Jaehwan? What is that? Wait - no! Not again! We’ve been over this! What are you _doing_?”

The orange tabby jumps down from the window ledge where he’d just come in and nonchalantly drops the pair of yellow briefs he’s carrying in his mouth onto the floor like an offering. He sits, insolent as only a cat can be, and proceeds to give Taekwoon a Look. Taekwoon sits up as well from where he’s been loafing in his big beanbag chair and stares back, not to be outdone by Jaehwan.

“Whose underwear did you steal now? I _told_ you the last time-”

The doorbell buzzes just at that moment, and Jaehwan’s look takes on a glow of satisfaction. Taekwoon isn’t sure how he can tell that Jaehwan is pleased, but he _knows_.

Taekwoon sends an exasperated glare Jaehwan’s way, hoping he isn’t going to be drawn into some crazy situation because of that damn cat, and goes to answer the door. It opens to a tall redfaced boy who almost looks disappointed Taekwoon is actually at home because now he needs to proceed with whatever he’s here for. _Oh_ , Taekwoon thinks absently. _It’s really not a good thing Jaehwan knows exactly what my type is._

“Um. Hi. Uh, I just moved in next door? I’m uh, renting. With a friend. And-” The boy had been darting glances up at Taekwoon like he couldn’t really bring himself to look him in the eye, and just then he catches sight of Jaehwan sitting triumphantly guarding his haul of bright yellow briefs behind Taekwoon and his eyes widen.

“Um! Yeah, so, I saw your cat grab one of my - uh, my underwear was hanging on a drying rack in my bedroom and he came in through my window and grabbed a pair. And I saw him come into your house. And he’s sitting right there. With my - my underwear.”

Taekwoon turns around to look at Jaehwan with this poor boy’s stolen underwear casually washing one front paw and curses him in his mind.

“I”m really sorry - my cat can really be a huge nuisance sometimes,” he says with feeling. He quickly walks over to Jaehwan and picks up the briefs - hoping they’re clean - and passes them to the boy who immediately stuffs them into his shorts pocket and bows awkwardly in thanks.

“This won’t happen again,” Taekwoon promises, as the boy, still blushing, hastily backs away off down Taekwoon’s little porch and towards his own house.

“Will it?” Taekwoon turns around to find Jaehwan, human now, lounging in Taekwoon’s beanbag and still giving off an air of deep satisfaction. “I said, will it?”

Jaehwan turns innocent eyes on Taekwoon. “Hmm?”

“Are you seriously going to try to set me up with every cute boy that moves in next door?”

“So you admit he’s cute,” Jaehwan grinned. “And what do you mean ‘every’? He’s just the second,” he sighs. “I miss Hongbin. Too bad he had to go to Japan to work. He always gave me lots of treats.”

“Will you stop terrorising these boys and let me live in peace?”

“Who’s terrorising? I’m merely being a friendly neighbour. _And_ a good friend to you, O Great Celibate One,” Jaehwan rolls his eyes. “You saw with your own eyes that he’s cute. And tall. Just as you like them. See how he was blushing? So precious.”

“‘Cute’ and ‘tall’ doesn’t mean I want to date him, you psycho.”

“What, he needs to submit a whole resume first? I’m trying my hardest here for your happiness and you’re making things so _hard,_ hyung. Look, I’ll get him over here again and then it’s all up to you to strike up a conversation and get his number. Even better yet, invite him in-”

“You are not stealing his underwear again!”

Jaehwan throws his hands in the air in frustration. “Fine. Then you better take the ones I already got and go give them back since you’re so set on being single for the rest of your life.”

“What ones you already got?!”

Jaehwan gives Taekwoon a highly unimpressed look and pads off towards their shared room, emerging a minute later with about three to four more pairs of underwear - a mix of boxers and briefs, but all in shades of yellow.

“Clearly he has thing for this colour,” Jaehwan muses, looking at the underwear in his hands as Taekwoon nearly has a heart attack. “I can’t decide if it’s cute or weird.”

“ _Jaehwan!_ ”

“What?”

Taekwoon opens his mouth to let loose with a tirade of _why it is not okay to steal strangers’ underwear_ but decides it’s a lost cause. He grabs the boxers and briefs from Jaehwan - god, he is holding some poor kid’s underwear because of his insane roommate-slash-cat - with a dirty look and stomps out of his house. His _underwear._

It’s only a few steps to the kid’s house; they live on a short street of small one-bedroom houses that are starting to be dwarfed by the tall apartment blocks growing up around them. He’s very attached to this house; it used to belong to his uncle from decades ago and he dreads the day he’ll get the notice of impending demolishment. Most of the owners rent these houses out now, like his neighbour to Jaehwan’s newest victim and his friend - Taekwoon thinks he’s the only one who still owns and lives in his.

Taekwoon hesitantly presses the door bell of the house next to his, assuming that it has to be this one because the kid had said he’d moved in next door and had walked off to the right of Taekwoon’s house. The boy isn’t the one who opens the door, however; another man with sleepy eyes and multiple ear piercings does, and he waits pleasantly for Taekwoon to say something. Taekwoon wonders if Jaehwan’s shapeshifting magic has got something to do also with attracting goodlooking men to this neighbourhood, because - _not bad, not bad at all_.

“Hi, I’m sorry for disturbing you. I live right next door. Is your friend home? I need to return something to him. I hope I’ve got the right house-”

“Is it more underwear?” The man says, bursting into extremely endearing laughter.

Taekwoon can feel the blush begin to creep up his neck. “Well. I wish I could say no.”

“Your cat steals stuff, huh? It’s really pretty. I was scared for a moment when it came inside because I’ve got a dog - not that my Butt would hurt your cat though, more like the other way around-”

Taekwoon blinks a few times. “I’m sorry, your- your butt?”

“Oh! That’s his name. I call him Eongdeongie, you know? Also known as Badass.”

Badass - apparently a french bulldog - takes that very moment to emerge from somewhere and slowly amble across the small and minimally-decorated living room behind the guy, looking like the least badass thing Taekwoon has ever seen. Taekwoon hides a grin.

“Um, maybe you can pass these to your friend-” Taekwoon holds out the underwear, seizing the opportunity to get out of this situation without having to deal with the other - unfortunately very cute - boy. He thought Taekwoon’s cat had only stolen one pair of his underwear? Surprise!

“Hey, no way am I touching his underwear. He may be my brother from another mother but there are boundaries. Hyukkie! Special delivery for you!”

Taekwoon just wants to die on the spot as - _Hyukkie_ , it seems; Hyuk? - comes out of the kitchen at his housemate’s call and blanches when he sees Taekwoon who must be as red as a tomato by now.

“Uh.” Taekwoon manages eloquently, holding out the underwear in various shades of yellow. “I”m so sorry. There - there’s more.”

“Dude, why is your underwear all yellow?” Hyukkie’s friend snorts, and the boy’s ears redden furiously as he bustles forward to retrieve them from Taekwoon. _How nice,_ Taekwoon thinks faintly. _We match_.

“That should be all of it,” Taekwoon fumbles. “I mean, I’ll have to search the house, but I don’t think he stole any more.”

“Why does he do that?” the housemate asks, genuinely curious.

 _Well, he’s actually a shapeshifter who likes to spend time as a cat and he steals the underwear of cute boys in an attempt to reel them in and get me to date them because he thinks I’m incapable of finding myself a boyfriend and your friend is just the latest victim._ Taekwoon shrugs weakly. “Cats?”

“That’s why I like dogs, man. They’re simple.” The housemate holds out his hand. “I’m Kim Wonsik, by the way. He’s Han Sanghyuk. You are..?”

“Taekwoon. Jung Taekwoon.”

“Uh, we’re still in college. How do we address you?” They take a moment to iron out ages and honorifics and Taekwoon learns that Sanghyuk - still blushing, clutching his underwear behind his back - is five years younger, and Wonsik is three years younger, which makes him -

“Is it alright if we call you hyung and speak comfortably? I feel like this situation has done away with the need for any kind of formality.”

Taekwoon embarrassedly mumbles his agreement even though he as the older one should be the one initiating this, not wanting to seem difficult. Anyway, Wonsik is friendly and nice and has been doing most of the talking but Taekwoon has hardly heard a peep out of Sanghyuk, who drops eye contact every time Taekwoon manages to catch his gaze. Taekwoon deflates. Damn Jaehwan. Sanghyuk probably thinks both Taekwoon and his cat are perverts.

“Um, I should - I should be getting back. I don’t want to intrude. Sorry again, Sanghyuk.” Taekwoon shuffles backwards, catching the polite bow Sanghyuk makes before he runs into the bedroom.

“He usually talks a lot more than this!” Wonsik calls out after Taekwoon. “He’s probably just embarrassed about his under-”

The sound of Sanghyuk loudly telling Wonsik to shut up makes Taekwoon smile at least on his way back home, to the den of psychotic cat-humans.

“So?” Jaehwan grins at him when Taekwoon walks in the door. “Did you talk to him? What’s his name?”

Taekwoon glares at him for a moment before giving in. “Sanghyuk. He’s in college.”

“Ooh, college student. I bet he wouldn’t mind having a hot older boyfriend to take him on dates to expensive places and to teach him _the ways of the world_.”

Taekwoon wonders if he can give Jaehwan away to a cat shelter.

*

Taekwoon doesn’t make that much money as a junior music producer in the company he works for but he’s thankful it’s enough for him to buy his own car which he parks out front in the street instead of having to take the subway home all the way from the Gangnam area. It’s a Thursday evening; so close yet so far to Saturday. Taekwoon loves his work, but it’s not easy, and he runs through in his head everything he still needs to complete tomorrow before he can spend the weekend comfortably as he inserts the right key into his door to open it, only to find that it’s already open.

Thoughts of what to make for his and Jaehwan’s dinner immediately evaporate as Taekwoon becomes immediately on guard, heart starting to pound. His neighbourhood isn’t strictly a dangerous one, but these old houses are relatively easy pickings for thieves because they still use traditional key locks instead of the more sophisticated heavy electronic locks in most apartments these days. Taekwoon silently pushes his door open, not wanting to alert anybody who still may be in the house; worry for Jaehwan begins to creep up his spine because if he’d been at home when the person or persons had broken in and been caught unprepared what if they’d hurt him? If he’d been in cat form he probably could have gotten away more easily, but what if he’d panicked and shifted in front of the thief?

Taekwoon is braced for anything when the door swings open fully, but what he sees isn’t a ransacked house, nor a robber trying to escape out one of the windows, or the dreaded sight of the lifeless body of poor Jaehwan. Instead Sanghyuk is spread out on the floor in a tug of war with cat-Jaehwan, something yellow in Jaehwan’s mouth that he’s refusing to let go of.

Both Sanghyuk and Jaehwan look up at Taekwoon, who looks back at them, speechless.

Jaehwan releases the cloth in his mouth to give a very pleased-sounding _mroowwww_ before coming over to Taekwoon to rub against his legs, and Taekwoon suppresses the urge to kick him. Suddenly the image of the lifeless body of Jaehwan is much more appealing than it was a minute ago.

No wonder the door was open, then.

Taekwoon contemplates silently turning around and walking back out of the house to give Sanghyuk the dignity of collecting his latest piece of looted underwear and returning to his own house in peace, but his feet seem rooted to the floor. Jaehwan meows again, louder this time and with an inquisitive tone.

All Taekwoon can look at is the yellow band of Sanghyuk’s boxers - or briefs - peeking out above the waistband of his shorts where his shirt had ridden up in his struggle with Jaehwan. It looks like he had lunged for his underwear, given the way he’s spreadeagled on the floor, and this position gives Taekwoon lots of opportunity to admire just how long his legs are. Taekwoon bites his lip, and wants to drown himself.

“I’m so sorry,” Taekwoon says, but it comes out in a broken whisper.

“I shouldn’t be in your house-” Sanghyuk says hurriedly, getting to his feet and looking like he wants to sink through the floorboards. “But the door was open and I didn’t want to - I thought if I could catch him before you came home you wouldn’t have to catch him for me. And return my - you know.”

Jaehwan gives another happy meow.

“I will lock him in the bedroom,” Taekwoon promises. “I will lock him in the bathroom, even better. I will never let him out for as long as he lives.”

The meow Jaehwan next lets out is decidedly less happy.

“That’s a bit-” Sanghyuk laughs a little awkwardly. “You don’t have to do that. I mean - he probably thinks it’s a game, or something. I’m just - I don’t know, maybe he likes the colour yellow, or something.”

Jaehwan mrrroowss in agreement.

“Wow, it’s like he understands what we’re saying,” Sanghyuk laughs a little more, and Taekwoon melts at how boyishly handsome he is.

“He’s very intelligent,” Taekwoon nods, trying not to fall in love _completely._ “Unfortunately. You don’t have a pet of your own? Or you and Wonsik co-own Eongdeongie?”

“Oh, no, I personally don’t but my sister has a dog. Called, uh,” Sanghyuk laughs again, this time for real, and Taekwoon is a goner. “We called him One Punch. Because our surname is ‘Han’, you know? So Han JuMok in Korean, and One Punch in English.”

That is quite possibly the absolute most adorable thing Taekwoon has ever heard.

“I’ve got a dog, too, but I had to send him to my sister because the house is too small for him,” Taekwoon says, putting down his work satchel. “I’m not a genius at names. He’s “October” because I got him in October.”

“That’s cute too,” Sanghyuk says, smiling at him, seemingly having forgotten he’s holding a pair of his own yellow briefs in his hand that Taekwoon is valiantly trying to ignore also looks like it has a picture of a minion on the front because he doesn’t want to confront the fact that he actually finds it super endearing.

Taekwoon takes a deep breath. Well - why not?

“Can I offer you a drink? Or buy you dinner, or something? To make up for my cat. I feel really bad-”

Jaehwan’s mrrrroooowww is the loudest and most delighted yet.

“Oh, no, you really don’t have to-”

“Please, let me do something. I just can’t believe you have to put up with this cat nonsense-”

“Well - I’m free now. Wonsik hyung can settle his own dinner, I guess. There’s a nice guksu place around the corner we can go? Have you been?”

“Oh, sure. I love that place.”

“Great,” Sanghyuk smiles again, and Taekwoon’s heart now begins to pound for an entirely different reason. “Thank you, hyung.”

“Sure. Um, do you want to-” Taekwoon gestures vaguely at the briefs in Sanghyuk’s hand and Sanghyuk blinks as if he’d forgotten it.

“Oh! Yeah, let me chuck this back at home and I’ll meet you out front?”

Taekwoon nods and lets Sanghyuk out before allowing the door to click closed for a moment before looking at Jaehwan. If ever there was a real cat that got the cream as the saying goes, Jaehwan is it.

“You’re never going to let me forget this, are you?” Taekwoon asks him.

*

“So you’ve gone out to eat together, just the two of you, how many times now?” Jaehwan asks briskly.

“Six,” Taekwoon repeats, rolling his eyes before letting his head thud onto his pillow.

“And he’s got your number? And regularly texts you?”

“Yes.”

“And has invited you over to his house on weekends just to hang out?”

“ _Yes_.”

“And you still haven’t tried to get him in bed? What are you, an idiot?”

Taekwoon aims a kick at Jaehwan sitting at the end of his bed which Jaehwan easily blocks with his cat reflexes.

“Don’t talk to me that way, I’m your hyung,” Taekwoon grumbles, looking up at the ceiling. “I don’t dare get this wrong, okay? It’ll be horrible, he lives just next door. And Wonsik will stop talking to me as well.”

“I can’t believe this. You think he waits for you to be done with work to have dinner, and texts you throughout the day, and asks you to come over to play games with him even though you’re terrible at them just because he likes you _platonically?_ ”

“It’s _possible_ ,” Taekwoon argues.

“Wow, you’re an idiot.”

“‘Hyung’!”

“Wow, you’re an idiot, hyung.”

“Look, he hasn’t done a single thing that couldn’t be interpreted as just wanting to be friends, okay? Some guys are like that. Maybe he just wants to have more friends. He said he’s here in Seoul from Daejeon for college, he probably doesn’t know that many people.”

“Okay, let’s say you’re right. How long is this going to go on, then? When you’re practically salivating over him?”

“I am not salivating over him.”

“You are.”

“Am not.”

“You are.” Jaehwan bats his eyes at Taekwoon. “As usual, it comes down to me to help you out.”

“NO MORE UNDERWEAR STEALING!”

“Shout that a bit louder, would you? I don’t think Gangwondo heard you. And I’m not going to steal his underwear, for fuck’s sake.”

Taekwoon shakes his head in wonder at Jaehwan. “For as adorable a cat that you make I will never get used to you swearing like this.”

“All cats swear. If you could understand our language you’d be shocked.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

Jaehwan sticks out his tongue at Taekwoon. “Anyway. It’s time for Sanghyuk to meet your roommate.”

“What roomma- _No.”_

“Yes.”

“No! He’s not going to meet you!”

“All I’m saying is that if he has feelings for you maybe he’s just as scared as you are to do anything about them. And maybe he just needs a little kick up the butt.”

“Please stay away from Sanghyuk’s butt.”

“I’m doing this precisely so _you_ can get near his butt.”

Taekwoon covers his face with his hands and moans in despair.

“Sanghyuk meets your sexy, attractive, alluring friend who is visiting from out of town and living with you for the time being and is ambiguous in his intentions towards you. Sanghyuk feels jealous and makes a move to mark his territory. What can go wrong?”

“Are you seriously asking me that question?” Taekwoon asks, hands still covering his face. “I’m begging you, don’t do this.”

“It’ll be fine!” Jaehwan declares, beaming. “I’m a cat. I’m an expert at sex.”

“Oh, my god,” Taekwoon whispers.

*

Sanghyuk steals a peek at Taekwoon through both their kitchen windows that face each other across a tiny fence and smiles to himself. Rumpled, early-morning Taekwoon trudging around his kitchen to make his coffee and maybe a bit of toast before he goes to work is one of his favourite Taekwoons. Maybe one day he’ll get to see this Taekwoon up close as they make breakfast together instead of having to spy on him through his window, Sanghyuk thinks ruefully. He’d been so sure Taekwoon was going to ask him to come in for a drink after going for dinner last night and then maybe something more, but - well.

“Maybe I’m reading him all wrong?” Sanghyuk muses into his teacup, making a face at his reflection in the liquid.

“He’s stringing you along,” Wonsik frowns, sitting at their small dining table and inhaling cereal.

“Hyung, don’t you like him?” Sanghyuk asks, surprised at Wonsik’s angry tone, and Wonsik immediately drops the serious act.

“I do,” he admits, and Sanghyuk smiles at his sweet hyung. “But if he ends up disappointing or hurting you then no, I don’t like him.”

“I don’t get it, though? I mean why would I-” Sanghyuk cuts himself off abruptly, feeling like he’s swallowed his tongue, because a shirtless man has just walked into Taekwoon’s kitchen. Hair bed-tousled and lightly muscled, he takes the cup that Taekwoon pours milk into and offers him - milk? Just milk? - and casually leans against the fridge talking to Taekwoon and smiling.

He’s handsome, and shirtless, and looks so comfortable there with Taekwoon that it’s clear they know each other well.

“Hyukkie? What is it?”

“Come here, but don't make it obvious. Look into Taekwoon hyung’s kitchen.”

Wonsik bustles over, almost stepping on Eongdeongie in the process, and inhales sharply when he sees what Sanghyuk is seeing.

“Holy shit,” Wonsik breathes. “Didn’t you and Taek hyung have dinner last night?”

“Yeah,” Sanghyuk says, still surreptitiously watching Taekwoon and the guy.

“And yet this guy is here this morning? Looking like he’s-” Wonsik stops, and eyes Sanghyuk. “I mean, it doesn’t mean they - it could be anything. Maybe he’s a friend and only just dropped in. Maybe he went for a run and needed a shower immediately, and Taekwoon’s house was nearby. Or maybe - maybe he lost his shirt-”

Sanghyuk put a hand on Wonsik’s chest, stopping him. “Maybe this is why Taekwoon hyung didn’t invite me in last night,” he says, trying to make his voice light. “It’s okay, I mean - it’s not like he asked me out on a date and then this happened. He’s never been anything but friendly. It’s okay, hyung.”

“I never liked him,” Wonsik says darkly, scooping Eongdeongie up and hugging him.   

Sanghyuk sighs. He knows it’s silly to jump to conclusions like this, but - well. That’s that, then. Time to throw himself into school and study his crush on Taekwoon away.

“Hyukkie,” Wonsik says suddenly, still looking out their window.

“What?” Sanghyuk answers, turning to the sink to wash his teacup.

“The guy is coming over here.”

“ _What?_ ”

Sanghyuk almost drops his cup as they both turn towards the front door and true enough, the doorbell buzzes not even a minute later.

“I’ll do this,” Wonsik says, drawing himself up as he marches to the door with Eongdeongie under one arm. He opens the door casually after waiting half a minute or so, until their doorbell buzzes one more time.

“Can I help you?”

“Hi,” Jaehwan smiles brightly - wearing a shirt now - and it’s one of the few smiles Sanghyuk has seen figuratively blow Wonsik’s socks off. Wonsik blinks in the aftermath, trying to get a hold of himself, and Eongdeongie starts a low growl that Sanghyuk can relate to.

“I’m Lee Jaehwan. You don’t know me, but I’m Taekwoon from next door’s really good friend,” the guy says and smiles once more.

 _Really good friend_ , Sanghyuk snorts mentally. Eongdeongie ups the volume of his growl while  Wonsik is still blinking, and Sanghyuk thinks that even if he can’t count on his hyung to not be affected by random strangers with nice smiles muscling in his best friend’s crush then at least Eongdeongie is in his corner.

“Taekwoon is a little busy now, but he asked me to invite the two of you over for dinner tonight. Just us four.”

Sanghyuk watches Jaehwan glance at the steadily-growling Eongdeongie and catches the slight lift of his upper lip in a sneer. _Hah!_

“We’re not free tonight,” Sanghyuk smoothly cuts in while Wonsik regains the power of speech.

“Oh, that’s a shame. Well, guess I have Taekwoonie all to myself, then,” Jaehwan grins, and Sanghyuk wants to throw him. Actually pick him up and throw him.

Wonsik closes the door after Jaehwan leaves and Sanghyuk ignores him in order of searching for his phone and pulling up his message thread with Taekwoon.

_\- hyung, shall we have dinner today too? ^^_

It’s a tense one-minute wait before the reply comes, and Sanghyuk frowns at it in confusion.

_\- sure! Where do you want to go?_

Sanghyuk weighs his phone in his hand, thinking. What are the two of them up to?

_\- you sure you’re free?_

_\- Yes. Always got time for you, Hyukkie :D_

What on earth?

_\- you sure you don’t have any previous appointments? with other friends?_  
_\- I’m really not very sure what you mean. I’m pretty certain I don’t?_  
_\- your friend just came over to invite me and wonsik hyung for dinner tonight with you._

Sanghyuk waits for a reply but it doesn’t come, and suddenly he can hear raised voices coming from Taekwoon’s house. Wonsik gives him a look, finally recovered from the force of Jaehwan’s smile, and Sanghyuk shares in his general sentiments of ‘what the fuck?’

_\- you know what? turns out wonsik hyung and i are free to come over tonight, actually. we’ll see you at seven? :)_

_For better or for worse,_ Sanghyuk thinks.

“Hyung, cancel your jam session later. We’re going to Taekwoon hyung’s place.”

*

Taekwoon nearly has a stroke when the doorbell rings at seven.

Apart from nearly killing Jaehwan for that stunt he’d pulled earlier in the day he was frazzled from a last-minute problem at work and not prepared to deal with a clearly suspicious Sanghyuk, much less have dinner with him _and_ Jaehwan when he didn’t know just what exactly Jaehwan was going to try to do. Jaehwan had confessed that he’d also let Sanghyuk see him this morning through the kitchen window, having noticed in his cat form that Sanghyuk always steals peeks at Taekwoon as he gets ready for work; Taekwoon was torn between feeling endeared by this knowledge about Sanghyuk and wanting to murder Jaehwan. Sanghyuk seeing a shirtless Jaehwan walking around his house? God, who knew what Sanghyuk was thinking, but all his warnings and threats as usual fell on deaf ears and an enigmatic smile. Taekwoon wonders why on earth he didn’t just drown himself the moment Jaehwan had wormed into his life. Then again - if Sanghyuk was feeling suspicious about Jaehwan wasn’t that a good thing? That Sanghyuk _maybe_ felt the same way about him too?

“Hi,” he manages to smile at Sanghyuk, looking like a sight for sore eyes standing outside his door, and extends that smile to Wonsik who also looks like he’d dressed up a bit for this. “Thanks for coming. It’s good to see you.”

“Hi, hyung,” Sanghyuk smiles back, and as usual these days when Sanghyuk smiles at him Taekwoon has a severe attack of what his more trendsavvy coworkers tell him are called the ‘uwus’. “We brought icecream.”

“You didn’t have to,” Taekwoon murmurs as he takes the icecream from Sanghyuk and lets them in. Who knows how this night is going to end? Ice cream may not be able to save it.

“Hello, friends,” Jaehwan announces, appearing from out of the bedroom with the air of bestowing some great gift upon them all. “Here I am.”

Taekwoon barely stops himself from rolling his eyes. “Shall we sit? The food is ready. I got quite a mix of things on the way home.”

“So,” Sanghyuk starts, once they’re seated at the dining table and have begun munching. “How do you know each other? Jaehwan-ssi just said you were good friends.”

Taekwoon notes the steady look Sanghyuk is giving Jaehwan and honestly feels a flutter in his stomach. He does love a forceful, straight-to-the-point man, and the way this issue is clearly important to Sanghyuk is giving him too much hope.

“Um, we met at - work?” Taekwoon says quickly, having already prepared a response for this. “He’s a freelancer. He does voice talent jobs - voice effects, backup singing, and so on.  He was doing some work for the company when I’d just started there.”

“Singing?” Wonsik asked, interested.

“Sure. I’ve got an amazing voice,” Jaehwan answers matter-of-factly, swallowing his mouthful of rice before perfectly belting out a line from a Sam Smith song. Sanghyuk and Wonsik are left shellshocked while Jaehwan goes back to eating - people usually are after hearing Jaehwan’s voice face to face.

“And all you do is backup singing?” Wonsik asks incredulously.

Jaehwan shrugs. “Pays the bills.”

“So… you’re moving in with Taekwoon hyung? Or..?” Sanghyuk casually asks, casually scooping up a spoonful of soup and casually pouring it over his rice.

“Oh, I already live here,” Jaehwan says, and Sanghyuk’s eyes widen, and three out of the four people at the table all immediately think of the one single bed in the bedroom that Sanghyuk knows is there.

“He means all his stuff is here,” Taekwoon urgently cuts in. “He doesn’t really _live here_ -live here. This is just the address he uses. He’s staying with his girlfriend. Long-term. Practically married.”

“Your.. girlfriend?” Sanghyuk repeats faintly.

“Yah,” Jaehwan says, sending Taekwoon a quick reproachful glance. “I used to live here, I meant. I came back to see how he’s surviving without me.”

“Speaking of ‘without’,” Wonsik speaks up. “Where’s your cat?”

“Causing trouble somewhere, probably,” Taekwoon replies.

“He is a lovely cat,” Jaehwan declares. “Great temperament. Very sweet and helpful.”

“Helpful?” Wonsik asks, laughing.

“Extremely. But Taekwoonie here doesn’t always appreciate him, more’s the pity.”

“What does he help Taekwoon hyung do?” Sanghyuk asked, grinning, relaxed more now due to Jaehwan’s fictional long-term girlfriend. _That’s a plus, right?_ Taekwoon thinks. _That Sanghyuk doesn’t think that after all their time spent together Taekwoon is harbouring a secret boyfriend or something._ _This reaction can only be good, right?_

Jaehwan takes a breath to answer and Taekwoon interrupts. “Don’t you have jam sessions on Fridays, usually, Wonsik?”

“Yeah, but he made me cancel to come here,” Wonsik replies. “Not that I mind, I mean,” he continues, wincing a little. Sanghyuk smiles, shifting in his seat and bringing his hand nearest Wonsik back onto the table.

“You two seem quite close,” Jaehwan beams at Sanghyuk and Wonsik. “Are you dating?”

Taekwoon consigns his soul to god as both Wonsik and Sanghyuk splutter out denials. _Here we go._

“Oh, no? Then are either of you dating anyone?” Jaehwan continues blithely. “Taekwoonie here-”

“- _‘hyung’_ ”

“Taekwoonie hyung here isn’t dating anyone at the moment - or ever, actually - and I always wonder why,” Jaehwan puts down his chopsticks, convinvingly concerned look on his face. “Don’t you agree, Sanghyuk? Isn’t he handsome enough?”

Sanghyuk goes red and mumbles ‘yes’ as Taekwoon looks at the ceiling.

“Right? And don’t you think he’s so nice and considerate? He’d make such a good boyfriend. Don’t you think so, Sanghyukkie?”

“Does anyone want ice cream?” Taekwoon asks desperately.

“Don’t be silly, Taekwoonie, we’ve hardly finished dinner. As I was saying-”

“I think that Taekwoon hyung would actually make a good boyfriend, yes,” Wonsik pipes up unexpectedly, as Sanghyuk turns to glare at him. Jaehwan blinks, and then smiles as only a feline can.

“Thank you, Wonsik. Do you know anyone suitable I can set Taekwoonie up on a date with?”

Wonsik’s face freezes as Sanghyuk’s hand disappears underneath the table once more.

“I mean,” Jaehwan continues, picking up his chopsticks again. “He says he’s got a big crush on someone these days - some college student, apparently - but he absolutely refuses to tell me who. If I wait for him to make a move we’ll all be old and grey by the time he does so I better take things into my own hands, right? Though, i mean, there's only so much I can do. After a certain point he needs to take the initiative, know what I mean?”

Jaehwan takes an oblivious bite of his rice as both Taekwoon and Sanghyuk go firetruck-red and Wonsik almost bounces in his seat from delight looking at the two of them blush furiously. Jaehwan looks between Sanghyuk and Taekwoon, chewing happily.

Game, set, and match.

*

Jaehwan stalks across the fence that separates Taekwoon’s and Sanghyuk’s houses - a useless boundary, these days - and spies Eongdeongie in Sanghyuk’s small yard. _Dogs_ , Jaehwan thinks disparagingly, but considering Taekwoon and Sanghyuk are wrapped up in each other in Taekwoon’s bedroom sucking face or something Jaehwan is in need of entertainment for the time being.

“Hey, you,” he flicks his tail and says in the common tongue, forgoing the higher cat language for something the dog will understand. “I’m bored. What’s the gossip these days?”

“Food. Sticks. Love. Walks. Master. Food. Love. Head scratches,” Eongdeongie replies, panting happily.

Jaehwan stares, unimpressed. “I almost liked you better when you were always growling at me.”

“Master. Love. Master. Smile. Cat,” the dog yips, and Jaehwan rolls his eyes.

“Look, you have to be able to speak the common tongue. Just try stringing a sentence together.”

“Cat. Master. Like. Smile. Tailwagging.”

Jaehwan narrows his eyes. “Tailwagging?”

“Tailwagging. Much. Master. Cat. Like. Cat.”

Wonsik comes out into the yard and Eongdeongie goes bounding into his arms, and Wonsik stands there a moment looking out at nothing in particular.

 _Master cat like cat?_ Jaehwan thinks, blinking slowly. He hops down onto Taekwoon’s side of the fence and shifts; a quick dart into the house through the kitchen door to grab clean clothes off the clothes hamper and he’s looking presentable enough. He comes round Taekwoon’s house and smiles when he sees Wonsik standing in the yard still with Eongdeongie in his arms.

Eongdeongie barks excitedly as a huge smile breaks out on Wonsik’s face when he sees Jaehwan.

 _Tailwagging, huh?_ Jaehwan thinks, still smiling as he walks towards Wonsik. _Interesting._

_**_


End file.
